Title: A Malfoy's Duty

Setting: Summer vacation, Post OotP.

Rating: PG-13 for implied violence

Spoilers: Minor Chamber of Secrets and Goblet of Fire spoilers, Major Goblet of Fire spoilers.

A Malfoy's Duty, By LadySmith

Prologue: a Father's Duty



Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns the Malfoys (except for Xenia, she's mine), Harry Potter, Dumbledore, Voldemort and the wizarding world in general. They are used entirely without permission, but entirely with respect.

A/N: The author apologizes for the hideous crimes against the Latin Language in this fic. She tried to keep it to a minimum. The name "Xenia" (along with the inspiration for this fic) can be found in the chapter/story "My Sister Xenia" in Victor Dragunsky's brilliant children's novel The Adventures of Dennis (translated from the Russian by Fainna Glagoleva).

The idea of Dobby being a wet-nurse for Draco is probably quite a wide- spread one, but was brought to this author's attention by Maia's Underwater Light, so she gets the credit.

As far as this author knows, the term (as well as the concept) of "midwitch" (as a play on "midwife") is original. It is, however, such a basic concept that I'm sure something very similar has occurred to somebody else.

Dedication: For Kenderheart, with thanks for her patience, and as always, for Billietallent.

Narcissa lay her head back on the pillow, exhausted. The midwitch cackled happily and straightened up, carefully balancing the tiny bundle in her arms.

"There we are dearie, all over now, and oooh, isn't she just the most darling little girl? Yes she is!" The midwitch proceeded to make cooing noises at the latest addition to the proud and noble house of Malfoy, who was currently showing her heritage by screaming her new lungs out and waving tiny fists about.

"Ooh, she is a strong one, isn't she?" The midwitch said and continued to coo nonsense at the tiny infant as she laid her down in a basin of warm water. "Lave infantum!" She incanted, leveling her wand at the infant, who was no longer howling quite as loudly now that she was divested of a layer of placenta and other muck. "There now, little one, isn't that much much better?" The midwitch straightened up again and smiled at Narcissa. "Have you and Mr. Malfoy thought of a name? Should I call him in and ask him?"

Narcissa weakly shook her head. "No, no, let him stay out for now; her name is Xenia. Xenia Bellatrix Malfoy."

"Xenia! Oooh, that's a lovely one, yes it is! Very pretty!" She bent down over the basin again and resumed cooing. "And so are you, little Xenia, yes you are! Pretty name for a pretty girl, yes yes yes!" For her part, Xenia sobbed and looked unimpressed. Narcissa was just about to scream at the witch to cease that infernal gibbering when she looked at Narcissa and said "My, she looks just like little Draco did at that age. Would you like to hold her now then?"

At that moment, Narcissa wanted nothing in the world more. She nodded, and all thoughts of how much she would like to curse the prattling idiot into the next millennium were forgotten as her daughter was settled into her arms and quieted immediately. She was so enthralled by her newborn she absently nodded yes to the Midwitch's next question before she realized what she'd asked.

"Right then, I'll fetch him in right away, shall I?" Narcissa had just enough time to realize her mistake before the witch went to the door and opened it. "They're ready for you now, Mr. Malfoy."

No, no, not yet, not yet, I want more time, please, oh, too late too late, please let her be alright, please let me not have made a terrible mistake... Narcissa had just enough time to compose her features into a smile for her husband before a blonde blur barged in ahead of him, leaving a shocked and unmistakably angry Lucius in the doorway.

"Is it here? What is it? Is it a boy? What's it look like?" A smug sixteen year old face, trying to look unimpressed and failing miserably, peered down at the bundle.

"It is your sister Xenia, Draco, and if you're very good I might let you hold her." Well, that was it, she was going to pay for it now, but perhaps she would win out in the end, she could only hope...

"Xenia, is it?" Lucius' voice held no trace of anger or malice but Narcissa knew the fury that was being carefully contained. Without warning, Lucius spun to face the Midwitch. "Thank you, Calliope, that will do." His voice was soft and sweet, and that was when Narcissa realized just how angry he was.

Calliope bowed, and with a final little wave at the completely disinterested Xenia, left the room and closed the door behind her.

Draco had lost track of everything in the room except the tiny being before him who, as soon as he looked down at her had looked up at him with blue eyes the mirror of his own. He was completely speechless when she reached up her tiny hand and seized his thumb in her fist with a surprisingly strong grip. Draco smiled, and was amazed to have her smile back at him. He looked up at his mother, beaming. "Did you see that? She smiled at me! Right at me!" His mother smiled back, but it was a sad smile, and it looked like she was about to cry. Draco started to ask her why she was sad when his father's voice came from behind him.

"You as well, Draco. Out."

"But..."

"I will not ask you again, Draco." Draco knew better than to say anything back to his father when he sounded like that. With a last look at Xenia, he left the room, solemnly promising to himself on the name of the Dark Lord and Salazar himself and most especially the Name of the House of Malfoy that he would protect his little sister from anything or anyone that would ever try to harm her.

He didn't yet know that what presented the greatest danger to her was another Malfoy.

"I know you're angry, Lucius, but little Xenia Bellatrix is sure to..."

"You will not pacify me by bringing up the name we agreed on, Narcissa. I am not sure I am willing to forgive you for giving my mother's name to something we are not yet sure is worthy of it... Though besmirching your sister's name is of course your own business."

Narcissa sighed. There was nothing for it now but to go along and pray that she hadn't been hasty. It had been a mistake, and she knew it, but they'd been so sure that Draco would be her last; they'd been trying for so long, any child was a miracle. Draco had been a miracle, and before him had been...

No. Mustn't think of him, of it. Not now, mustn't jinx it for little Xenia....

Wordlessly she handed over the precious bundle to Lucius, who in the meantime had been putting ritual accoutrements on the side table.

Draco paced in the hallway. He knew that he should be getting to bed, but his curiosity was far too strong. He smirked. He'd never have been able to lurk outside his parent's bedchamber when Dobby was here. That would be the one thing in his entire life Potter had gotten right, getting that little snitch sacked. Of course, then the little idiot had been hired on at Hogwarts. Stupid Dumbledore. He'd get his someday...

Draco blinked in sudden realization and stopped pacing. As much of a bane of his existence Dobby had been in recent years, he'd been Draco's closest companion when he was little. Who was going to do the same for Xenia? Damn that jumped-up half-mud idiot Potter! Curse his name!! With Dobby gone, who would help her build secret chambers out of bedclothes and read the Illustrated Adventures of Merlin to her? Who would hold her in the night when the monster under the bed came calling? Draco smiled smugly. Why, he would, of course. And teach her to ride a broom and play Quidditch, and help her with her homework, and she'd earn Slytherin loads of points...

Draco was shaken out of his reverie by what sounded like his mother crying. He blinked. What in Salazar's blood was going on in there? He edged closer to the door and put his ear against it in time to hear...

Draco blinked. That couldn't be right. Did he really just hear his father cast impedimenta? Why? Was someone attacking? Without thinking, intent on protecting his baby sister, Draco burst through the door in time to see the knife in his father's hand plunge downward into...

Draco never did completely remember what he saw. He wondered for yeas afterwards if his father had cast a memory charm as some small act of mercy. Mercy he felt Draco deserved but Xenia didn't. The next thing he did remember was his father shaking him, his eyes full of concern.

"..sten to me Draco, you must listen. It was necessary, don't you see? It wasn't a wizard, Draco, wasn't a Malfoy. Your mother made the terrible mistake of naming it before we were sure, but there was no Xenia Bellatrix Malfoy, Draco. She never existed."

She never existed. Never held my hand and smiled at me. And I won't read her stories and teach her to fly and help her, because she was never born...

Something very cold awakened inside Draco. So cold it burned. ...because I didn't protect her.

He met his Father's gaze, calm and cool. He smiled knowingly. "I understand, father. A Malfoy's loyalty is to true Malfoys."

Lucius smiled. "That's my boy. Your mother didn't understand, but she will." Lucius' face grew distant with something Draco couldn't quite recognize. "She will" He whispered, then smiled down at his son again, all trace of whatever had been there a moment ago gone.

"Now, we will need to take this," Lucius hefted the small bloodied bundle in his hand, "to the next gathering, to prove the Dark Lord's edicts have been fulfilled." He beamed paternally down at the expression of surprise on his son's face. "Yes, Draco, we. You're to be afforded a special honour, quite a treat. I need you to testify for me, Draco, as a witness to this." Lucius clasped a hand on Draco's shoulder, and his voice became soft, but there was a note of danger in it. "Can you do that for me, Draco? Can you do your duty as a Malfoy?"

Draco smiled up at Lucius. "Yes, Father, I can. I will."

...because a Malfoy's duty is to avenge wrongs done us. You made me break my last oath, so I'll make a new one. In Xenia Bellatrix Malfoy's name, I Draco Phineas Malfoy will avenge her. Even if I have to wreak that vengeance on the Dark Lord himself.

Draco left the room silently, and closed the door behind him. "...Even if I have to wreak it on you, Lucius." he whispered.

Fin